Wearing
a bronze, one-shouldered gown, Klum, knowing that the fashion week
theaters run on an extremely tight schedule, asked to “get the party
started,” but not before dragging mentor and host Tim Gunn onto the catwalk for a declaration of love.

“I’m rolling bandages in the back,” Gunn said. “Just metaphorically.”

Alexander Popeled off the show with a cobalt, satin micro mini. Models wore possibly high heels, and some sported Mr. Spock-like eyebrows. With pronounced shoulders, think “The Jetsons” and crimped hair put into huge up-dos, the show was off.

One blue dress, with trim in odd places, looked as if the model was trying to hide a recent weight gain. And that is hardly the case.

This collection’s showstopper was the last outfit, a real what-is-that-moment as the model seemed to be trapped what appeared to be a tree, albeit a fabulous one of chiffon. When she let down the panels, she was left wearing a hat, akin to a very dressy dunce hat, with long, sparkly material shooting out of it, like fireworks, or a Dr. Seuss hat come to life.

Kate Pankoke, who benefited from what was known as “Runway Redemption,” got her second chance on the show this season, having been eliminated during the teams season.

“I just want to say in this industry, there is no such thing as a second chance,” and she thanked “Project Runway” for the opportunity.

Luckily, there’s also an opportunity for editing as the audience was reminded that they were attending a live show whenthe throbbing music abruptly stopped while Pankoke’s collection was being show.

Her models, all wearing low ponytails and natural makeup, began with a black beaded mini dress, with filmy sleeves. She also showed gold lame pants with an evening white button-down blouse.

Her black palazzo pants flowed beautifully, and she used a deep coral fabric with lace trim on a couple of dresses.

“Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley,” Jeremy Brandrick‘s collection was inspired by the opening line of Daphne Du Maurier‘s “Rebecca.”

Overall, Brandrick’s clothes were the epitome of elegance. Featuring black, slate and pearl grays in rich satins, there were only two missteps in the collection — a skirt that, made a whippet-thin model look overfed, and a bustier that looked too much like an undergarment.

Claiming her inspiration was “clarivoyance,” Helen Castillofairly vibrated when she took the stage, announcing, “This is my first collection ever. Ever!”

Most of her designs featured a rounded, cutaway hem, shorter in the front. There were outfits one could wear to work or a party and then there was a dress that looked as it were crafted by shiny red Legos.

Her first piece featured a very intricate skirt, which looked like newspaper strips, in the size and shape of dollar bills. Many of her models wore elaborate feather hats, either in a Mohawk style or a cap. Other outfits tended toward slouchy silhouettes.

“My heart is jumping out of my chest right now, I am so excited to be here,” Bradon McDonald admitted, explaining that the inspiration for his collection was a crocus pushing through the snow, the first sign of spring when he was growing up in northern New York.

“Spring starts here,” he exclaimed.

His designs often had an exquisite crocus on the sleeves or back, and he showed a wide range of gowns, jackets and pants. His models’ hair and makeup were completely subdued allowing his clothes to take center stage.

His white dresses were very similar to each other, and others were mostly in white, grays or navy. Each piece included an interesting striated accessory, usually in black and what appeared to be rubber. These were either worn as a necklace, belt, or most often sewn onto the shoulders.

Dom Streater called her collection “Retro Redux” and said, “This is my view of the future, borrowing from the past.”

Her future — and past — involves a lot of lavender and deep purple. One gown had an interesting T-strap back, and purple pants were shown with a clear plastic jacket with silver stripes.

Streater was the only designer to present a bathing suit, a one-piece, accessorized with not so much as a cover-up but more of a terrific look-at-me piece as it was completely open and billowed behind the model.